Are you mindful of what you say, before you say it? Do you consider the impact your words will have when they land in the ears of others? Do you stop to think about the influence your words have? More often than not people speak various things to, about and at others without any real understanding of how their words touch the lives of others. The world teaches the principle of speak your mind so you can be heard but The Word of God teaches the contrary. The word says in Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (NKJV)
The word corrupt can be boiled down to one word: evil. The bible teaches us not to speak words of evil to one another but words that edify and bring life. Many often quote Proverbs 18:21 when it comes to their personal life where it states Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. (NKJV), but they mistakenly leave this declaration with a one sided view. While we should be mindful to speak life and not death over our own lives, we must be equally mindful and concerned to speak in the same manner over others. The word has given the command and responsibility to us to Watch what we say. Now you may be thinking that this is just a little to hard for you to maintain on a constant basis. You may be thinking, well you don't know how I get when I'm angry or that you don't know how to even get it under control. Well one sure fire way to watch what comes out your mouth, is to watch what goes into your mind.
Philippians 4:8 says Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (NKJV). When you begin meditating on these things it will decrease the possibility of anything evil coming out. The more good you deposit in, the more good will come out. What's the goal to guarding & watching you ask? Simple that the hearer may receive an abundant about of grace & that God your father is pleased with you!
Be Blessed
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Friday, March 7, 2014
JUST RELAX AND BE READY
We often face temptations, trials, hardships & setbacks that catch us by surprise, but truthfully they shouldn't. As believers we have become complacent & careless in being prepared for these times, because we adopted a fierce mentality for prosperity & "happy" times. We've allowed ourselves to constantly be on the lookout for our seasons of blessings, that we leave ourselves unprepared for seasons of hardships. While as the children of God we should look fr blessings, we should also expect hard times to occur in our lives. Why? Because in James 1:2 we are reminded "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials" (NKJV). The latter portion of this scripture says "when you fall into various trials, this tells us these seasons of hardships are inevitable.
So then why are we often shaken when they show up? Why are we rocked to our core as if we are totally out of the loop from their presence? Because we've allowed ourselves to adopt a "that won't happen to me" mindset. But the real question is, why not you? I Corinthians 10:13 tells No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (NKJV).
NEWSFLASH these types of hardships are common to mankind, and guess what that includes you! So how do you prepare for these times? Well let's look at a few things:
First, Stop thinking immune to hardships. Expect & accept that things are bound to happen.
Second, Know that what's happening to you has happened to others. What your facing isn't some unknown phenomenon. You'll make it just as they have.
Third, God loves you so much that He will not allow you to deal with anything above your capacity to handle. Although it may seem rough, know that you've already been equipped to handle it.
Lastly, Don't give in under the pressure. Know that God planned your escape route, before the season even started. God doesn't wait to see how your going to handle it, to decide how to get you out. The season comes with the exit plan, but you have to persevere through the process to get to the end.
BE BLESSED
So then why are we often shaken when they show up? Why are we rocked to our core as if we are totally out of the loop from their presence? Because we've allowed ourselves to adopt a "that won't happen to me" mindset. But the real question is, why not you? I Corinthians 10:13 tells No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (NKJV).
NEWSFLASH these types of hardships are common to mankind, and guess what that includes you! So how do you prepare for these times? Well let's look at a few things:
First, Stop thinking immune to hardships. Expect & accept that things are bound to happen.
Second, Know that what's happening to you has happened to others. What your facing isn't some unknown phenomenon. You'll make it just as they have.
Third, God loves you so much that He will not allow you to deal with anything above your capacity to handle. Although it may seem rough, know that you've already been equipped to handle it.
Lastly, Don't give in under the pressure. Know that God planned your escape route, before the season even started. God doesn't wait to see how your going to handle it, to decide how to get you out. The season comes with the exit plan, but you have to persevere through the process to get to the end.
BE BLESSED
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Down But Never Out!
Down but Never out!!
We are now sixteen days into this new year. A year in which many believe will hold great breakthrough, revelation & new opportunities. Yet with all of the greatness expected the reality seems to be the opposite. Instead of great breakthrough there is great bondage, instead of great revelation there is great confusion & instead of new opportunities we see the same closed doors. Many are facing trial after trial, test after test and it feels like the reality of life is overshadowing the hope of your faith. It seems as if the more you believe for change the worse things get. It seems like the more you pray for relief the more adversity you face, and your emotions begin to overwhelm as doubt & defeat try to creep in.
But as believers we must Never give in to how things seem.
When you hit this season of storms or rough patches, when the weight of your emotions try to over power you and bully you into giving up, when you can't see a way out of your circumstances; remember God's word found in II Corinthians 4:8-9 (NKJV) We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
The reality is that a will face many trials in our lives, as we are reminded in James 1:2 to count it all joy when we fall in various trials. Now we don't actually "fall" into trials, but God in His divine wisdom allows us to go through different trials for a purpose. However you must first must be assured that what you are experiencing is not meant to destroy you but make you stronger & to show the power & might of God in you life. While James admonishes us to count it all joy in these rough season we will never do so if we have the improper perspective.
No matter what you face always remember that: No matter bad it seems, God is still in control and because He is in control it doesn't matter how low you my get; you'll never be out!
We are now sixteen days into this new year. A year in which many believe will hold great breakthrough, revelation & new opportunities. Yet with all of the greatness expected the reality seems to be the opposite. Instead of great breakthrough there is great bondage, instead of great revelation there is great confusion & instead of new opportunities we see the same closed doors. Many are facing trial after trial, test after test and it feels like the reality of life is overshadowing the hope of your faith. It seems as if the more you believe for change the worse things get. It seems like the more you pray for relief the more adversity you face, and your emotions begin to overwhelm as doubt & defeat try to creep in.
But as believers we must Never give in to how things seem.
When you hit this season of storms or rough patches, when the weight of your emotions try to over power you and bully you into giving up, when you can't see a way out of your circumstances; remember God's word found in II Corinthians 4:8-9 (NKJV) We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
The reality is that a will face many trials in our lives, as we are reminded in James 1:2 to count it all joy when we fall in various trials. Now we don't actually "fall" into trials, but God in His divine wisdom allows us to go through different trials for a purpose. However you must first must be assured that what you are experiencing is not meant to destroy you but make you stronger & to show the power & might of God in you life. While James admonishes us to count it all joy in these rough season we will never do so if we have the improper perspective.
No matter what you face always remember that: No matter bad it seems, God is still in control and because He is in control it doesn't matter how low you my get; you'll never be out!
Change Your Mind Change Your Life
Every year people around the world embrace the incoming year by enthusiastically declaring their resolve to be better & to do new things, however many fail in keeping these newfound commitments. They walk into the new year fully determined to do their best in changing their behavior but they fail to correct the most vital part to the success of their commitment; changing their mindset. Many fail to realize that merely changing their outer actions without changing their thought process, patterns or beliefs will only cause detriment to their progress. You see trying to change what you without changing how you think is pointless. As Luke 5:37 (NASB) no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins & it will be spilled out, & the skins will be ruined. Holding onto the same old mindset while trying to incorporate new actions will prove pointless, because at some point that old mindset will break thru causing your behaviors to revert back & damaging what little progress you made.
As believers we cannot afford to only view Christ as Savior but we must know & accept that we cannot change who we are until we fully accept & surrender to Christ as Lord. We must understand what Christ meant when He told us in John 10:10 that He came that we would have life & have it abundantly. How joyous to know that we have the capacity to live abundant lives in Christ. But in order to have this abundant life we must also accept the responsibility believing in Christ brings. When you believe in Him that came to give you salvation & an abundant life, you must be willing to now walk in a manner that I both worthy & pleasing unto Him. We are admonished in Ephesians 5:7-10 (NASB) Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
When Christ is Lord over your life, you are no longer stuck in the darkness of this world but you are the light of this world and you have the power & ability to manifest that light in your life. Your desire to exude this light daily exist because you want to please the one who has given it to you.
As believers we cannot afford to only view Christ as Savior but we must know & accept that we cannot change who we are until we fully accept & surrender to Christ as Lord. We must understand what Christ meant when He told us in John 10:10 that He came that we would have life & have it abundantly. How joyous to know that we have the capacity to live abundant lives in Christ. But in order to have this abundant life we must also accept the responsibility believing in Christ brings. When you believe in Him that came to give you salvation & an abundant life, you must be willing to now walk in a manner that I both worthy & pleasing unto Him. We are admonished in Ephesians 5:7-10 (NASB) Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
When Christ is Lord over your life, you are no longer stuck in the darkness of this world but you are the light of this world and you have the power & ability to manifest that light in your life. Your desire to exude this light daily exist because you want to please the one who has given it to you.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Choose The Right Source!
In today's society we have come to rely on so many other things & people for sources of trust & hope instead of God. Expecting them to fulfill us in the ways we desire, only to find these illegitimate sources leave us empty every time. We must know & understand that we are not designed to place our hope or trust in any other person or any God given resources, for they are not designed to provide for us what only God can.
When you place your hope and trust in someone or something it means that you place your belief and expectation in it, for it to produce a desired outcome in your life. When you trust in illegitimate sources you are now placing trust & faith in created beings & resources instead of their creator, and they will fail you every time. Other people and earthly resources do not have the capacity to provide the stability or fruit from our lives that trusting & hoping in God can, honestly in the long run they only lead to destruction. When you find broken homes, relationships and people the culprit behind the breaking can most times be attributed to trusting & hoping in the wrong sources.
But don't be discouraged!! For there is great consolation found in God's word!!
Jeremiah 17:7,8 says “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. (NKJV)
You see when you Trust in God you will be blessed externally & internally! When you realize He is your hope you can rest knowing that your expectations in Him will not fail or falter, because according to His great promises He will accomplish His perfect will in your life!! When your life is rooted in God not only will your life be blessed but He will give you strength & peace in hard times, so that you will not be fearful of its presence. Further He gives you wisdom & perseverance so that seven in times of lack you won't be anxious or moved but you'll and strong. Finally when your trust & hope is in God He will allow your life to produce pleaSing fruit that Glorifies Him & edifies others.
When you place your hope and trust in someone or something it means that you place your belief and expectation in it, for it to produce a desired outcome in your life. When you trust in illegitimate sources you are now placing trust & faith in created beings & resources instead of their creator, and they will fail you every time. Other people and earthly resources do not have the capacity to provide the stability or fruit from our lives that trusting & hoping in God can, honestly in the long run they only lead to destruction. When you find broken homes, relationships and people the culprit behind the breaking can most times be attributed to trusting & hoping in the wrong sources.
But don't be discouraged!! For there is great consolation found in God's word!!
Jeremiah 17:7,8 says “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. (NKJV)
You see when you Trust in God you will be blessed externally & internally! When you realize He is your hope you can rest knowing that your expectations in Him will not fail or falter, because according to His great promises He will accomplish His perfect will in your life!! When your life is rooted in God not only will your life be blessed but He will give you strength & peace in hard times, so that you will not be fearful of its presence. Further He gives you wisdom & perseverance so that seven in times of lack you won't be anxious or moved but you'll and strong. Finally when your trust & hope is in God He will allow your life to produce pleaSing fruit that Glorifies Him & edifies others.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Embracing The New You
As a society we have come to rely on various statements & catchphrases to either express how we feel or to defend ourselves or our position in a situation. One of these statements is "That's just how I am", which is usually used after we have offended someone & refuse to take responsibility for our actions. This statement is extremely detrimental as we use it to let ourselves off the hook, from changing the offensive behavior, worse than that as believers when we utter these words we are also limiting the power of God from moving in our lives. We are not exhibiting faith in God's word that teaches us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (NASB). When you and I accept Christ as Savior we accept the fact that Christ has come to save us from the penalty of sin (which is death) because He has died for the sins of mankind.
But when we accept Christ as Lord we accept the power of his salrific work that has the ability to change(sanctify) us in our daily living. Becoming a new creature does not mean we receive new bodies but we do receive new instructions & directions as to what to do & say with the bodies we have. When we accept Christ we now have possibility & responsibility to allow ourselves to be purged of the worldy ways we've become accustomed to living & begin living the way God intended but we must be willing!!
Being willing to allow God to change us can only occur when we recognize we don't have to live by the principles & precepts we've picked up in the world and by learning to live a surrendered life to God; not living a surrendered life to self. Many people falsely believe that living surrendered to God is an unachievable task but that's not the case Psalms 37:7(a) (GW) reminds us; Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him. We must learn that becoming a new creature requires our full surrender of self & patience in Gods process in changing us. Being remade is not an overnight process however when you allow God to work in & through you the process will manifest in your life. You will no longer say that just who I am but you'll begin to say Praise God I'm not who I used to be.
Be Blessed
But when we accept Christ as Lord we accept the power of his salrific work that has the ability to change(sanctify) us in our daily living. Becoming a new creature does not mean we receive new bodies but we do receive new instructions & directions as to what to do & say with the bodies we have. When we accept Christ we now have possibility & responsibility to allow ourselves to be purged of the worldy ways we've become accustomed to living & begin living the way God intended but we must be willing!!
Being willing to allow God to change us can only occur when we recognize we don't have to live by the principles & precepts we've picked up in the world and by learning to live a surrendered life to God; not living a surrendered life to self. Many people falsely believe that living surrendered to God is an unachievable task but that's not the case Psalms 37:7(a) (GW) reminds us; Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him. We must learn that becoming a new creature requires our full surrender of self & patience in Gods process in changing us. Being remade is not an overnight process however when you allow God to work in & through you the process will manifest in your life. You will no longer say that just who I am but you'll begin to say Praise God I'm not who I used to be.
Be Blessed
The Best Hiding Place
Sometimes the circumstances of life can weigh you down beyond anything you ever imagined. It seems like issue after issue arise; you deal with one major thing then bam here comes another. Before you can rejoice that you got through one problem your hit with another. You wonder what in the world is going on? You pray & cry out to God wondering where He is at such a time, wondering if just maybe He has put too much on you. You sit & ponder your options & then almost suddenly that ole enemy presents you with a slew of options, that appeal to your flesh but hide the damage they really contain. The enemy strategically plans, plots & waits for us to get to our lowest point to present his best & most treacherous options to us & if we are not careful, mindful & deliberate we wind up choosing them, because we only see what's on the surface of his "gifted options"
What do they look like? Well the enemy always dresses up his destructive options to trap us. One option may be your favorite wine or "adult" beverage that under "non" stressful times you enjoy on occasion; but in this time of frustration he may whisper "drink a little more, drown out the pain it's alright ; it's only one time. But what he doesn't tell you is that one time of self medication can lead you down a path of unimaginable destruction because the taste will be so comforting that you'll look to it again. Another option could be the soothing arms of someone God did not ordain for you. The enemy will whisper relax that standard a little bit. It's ok to give yourself to them, nothing's going to happen. Look at every one else that has done it, nothing happened to them. What he doesn't tell you is the long term affects sexual sins have on you mentally & physically amongst other things.
While he is a cunning adversary we can reject his options How? By determining our source of strength before seasons of hardship occur. Psalms 119:114 declares You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. You must know & believe that in God you have The Best hiding place! Why? Because when you hide in Him who has come to save, heal & set you free; there is no complete protection, perfect peace & unadulterated truth that will never lead you astray.
Be Blessed
What do they look like? Well the enemy always dresses up his destructive options to trap us. One option may be your favorite wine or "adult" beverage that under "non" stressful times you enjoy on occasion; but in this time of frustration he may whisper "drink a little more, drown out the pain it's alright ; it's only one time. But what he doesn't tell you is that one time of self medication can lead you down a path of unimaginable destruction because the taste will be so comforting that you'll look to it again. Another option could be the soothing arms of someone God did not ordain for you. The enemy will whisper relax that standard a little bit. It's ok to give yourself to them, nothing's going to happen. Look at every one else that has done it, nothing happened to them. What he doesn't tell you is the long term affects sexual sins have on you mentally & physically amongst other things.
While he is a cunning adversary we can reject his options How? By determining our source of strength before seasons of hardship occur. Psalms 119:114 declares You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. You must know & believe that in God you have The Best hiding place! Why? Because when you hide in Him who has come to save, heal & set you free; there is no complete protection, perfect peace & unadulterated truth that will never lead you astray.
Be Blessed
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